FCC’s Barrett blasts Quello’s stern warning

FCC commissioner Andrew Barrett delivered a barb to fellow commish James Quello on Friday, one day after Quello hinted that it may be time to consider revoking the radio station licenses of Infinity Broadcasting.

“I’m going to do like I think Quello should have done, which is button my lip ,” Barrett said pointedly.

“The record is not developed” enough to warrant public comment on the case, he added.

Quello, speaking Thursday before a group of communications lawyers, suggested license revocation proceedings may be needed against Infinity if syndicated shock jock Howard Stern doesn’t clean up his act. Stern’s allegedly indecent remarks have prompted the Federal Communications Commission to levy fines against Infinity of nearly $ 1.7 million, all of which are being appealed.

In his speech, Quello asked, “How many ‘next times’ can the public and the commission tolerate? Common sense alone would dictate that it is obvious the fines have not had a deterrent effect” against Stern.